invalid Fat16 partition information - not possible to mount

One more thing, when I try to mount the image, I always get the message "Cannot assign a drive letter to a partition from the backup archive"

Are you restoring using the same version of TI that created the backup?

Does the backup validate successfully?

Are you just trying to get at the data or are you needing to boot and run it?

Have you tried exploring the backup?

Have you tried using the TI boot media?

Have you tried restoring the files & folders out instead of restoring the image?

I would avoid any extra processing when restoring. Make sure TI isn't resizing the partition. Also, make sure you're restoring it to the beginning of the drive. FAT has problems a ways past 500GB.

Are there multiple partitions in the backup? If so, do any of them mount by themselves?

I am using Acronis True Imagee 2010 Home Edition.
There are two partitions inside. C:\ and D:\
Partition D:\ is possible to mount without problems, but C:\ is making trouble.

I need the full Image, with the MBR together. Both partitions and the MBR.
I can explore partition C:\ but I need everything and fully like it is.

TI was not adjusted for rezising the image, so there shouldnt be any problems.

Make sure you're using the latest builde of TI 2010. Have you tried doing the restore with the trial version of TI 2012? If I remember correctly, there were some problems previously with certain FAT partitions (not sure which versions/builds were affected).

I take it that you did try booting and/or accessing the drive after you got the error message? For example, restore the MBR & Track 0, restore the FAT16 partition (probalby get error), restore the Windows partition. Does it work? In other words, is the error actually fatal? Does TI leave the failed FAT16 partition on the drive?

Do you really need the contents of the FAT16 partition? This usually contains "tools" or other things that rarely get used. Or is it the booting partition for Windows? I assume Windows 95 is using a FAT32 partition. A lot of people remove these types of partitions to free up the partition table slot or just to clean up the drive.

Does it boot up if you just restore the MBR & Track 0 and then restore the Windows partition?

Okay, at first of all thank you for your help. I did not say before :)

I will try to explain to you, for what both partitions are.
This computer is placed on a crude oil tanker and I took an image of it. For safety reasons. When something is going wrong, that the crew on board can recover the system.
Partition C:\ which is damaged is the whole system, where all programs for the main engine is installed and partition D:\ is backup.
Partition C:\ looks like damaged and D:\ is functioning.
Should be inversed.

It was the latest version of TI 2010 Home. I already tried to recover only Track 0 and MBR, but same message occured again "Recovery failed". I tried different things. I prepared already the new harddrive by partitioning C.\ in FAT 16 e.g.

Iam absolutely not sure, why there should be any problems with the file system itself. In the moment it is working on board, but when something is going wrong, they have only one system working properly and that is not good.

Is there any tool from TI that can check or validate the backup?
BUT, I will try your idea. Will try to recover MBR and Track 0 again and try to start the system, never mind about the message. perhaps it is comming, but is only a sign for the user that not everything is working in good order...

Thanks for the additional information. It helps a lot in understanding the particular setup.

TI includes the function to validate backups. Normally, you can just right-click the backup and select the option. You can also select it in TI and then select to validate it. It may help to know if TI considers the backup valid or not.

Also check after restoring the C: partition. The reason is that TI did write it all (or most of it) if it failed at the very end and it may still be there (the failure may not be fatal). If the partition is deleted by TI, you could try undeleting it and see what happens (most partitioning programs can do this). If the data is intact enough for the partition to be seen properly you may be able to run chkdsk (or scandisk) on it and see if anything shows up.

Is it possible to get a System Report from the original computer? TI 2010 can generate this directly from the program and it may help.

What type/size of drive is the original? What type/size is the test restore drive?

I assume you're testing on a different system. If so, is the hardware the same?